Structural mill marker



Dec. 29, 1964 E. w. FAILOR 3,163,106

STRUCTURAL MILL MARKER Filed March 13, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet l I N VE NTOR. [4/65/1/5 l V. 12/12? Dec. 29, 1964 E. w. FAILOR STRUCTURAL MILL MARKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 13, 1963 Dec. 29, 1964. E. w. FAILOR 3, 3, 6

STRUCTURAL MILL. MARKER Filed March 13, 1963 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. fL/GfA/E W 52/4016 BY I1 7 7 -r KM June/v56 Dec. 29, 1964 E. w. FAILOR STRUCTURAL MILL MARKER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 13, 1963 United States Pate 3,i63,i% Patented Dec. 29, I964 3,163,1t26 STRUCTURAL MILL MARKER Eugene W. Failor, ehring, ()hio, assignor to The Morgan Engineering Co., Alliance, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Filed Mar. 13, 1963, Ser. No. 264,373 Qlairns. (Cl. 1016) This invention relates to marking structural steel shapes and more particularly to a high speed marking machine for impressing symbols of identification upon hot struc tural steel shapes as they come out of the forming mill.

A purpose of marking structural steel is to identify the ultimate piece of the steel for the benefit of the producer and customer. With the many difierent types of steel and steel alloys in production today, and numerous variations in metallurgical composition within these types, the users of structural steel desire that steel shapes and pieces thereof carry positive identification. An identifying mark on each piece assures the user that he has received what he has ordered. In addition, the steel may also be marked to show from which batch or heat run it was produced. This enables the manufacturer to trace the origin of any piece or shape in case the customer questions the analysis, composition, type or run of steel sold to him.

In the past, identifying marks have often been merely hand-painted or stenciled on cold shapes or pieces. This has proved generally unsatisfactory, due to the time and cost thereof and the frequency of whole or partial erasure. Hand stamping of cold pieces aids in point of erasure, but loses in point of trouble and cost.

With my invention, I propose to mark steel shapes rapidly, permanently and inexpensively. With my new marking machine, the mark is impressed into the steel while it is hot and impressionable. My machine marks the steel as rapidly as it comes out of the hot forming mill, and the entire operation is automatic once my machine is set up for handling a particular type and run of steel. Furthermore, my machine is capable of handling substantially any shape and of marking any surface thereof whether it be horizontally or vertically disposed, or presented at any angle therebetween.

In addition to marking the heat run and quality of the steel, my marking machine may be used to impress into each piece any other symbol, trademark or device that may be desired.

An object of my invention is to provide a machine for marking hot steel shapes which will have all the abovementioned virtues and capabilities, and will mark structural steel shapes accurately, automatically and at high speeds, and upon any surface thereof at any angle between and including the horizontal and vertical planes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a structural steel shape marking machine which will impress a permament mark upon hot steel shapes moving at high speeds, and which will respond rapidly to electrical and other signals so as to mark each shape or piece at any desired point or points therealong, and as frequently per unit of length as may be desired.

Another object is to provide for an advantageous pressure contact between the marking wheel and the workpiece, a safe and efficient engagement and disengagement between the wheel and the workpiece, and the prevention of deleterious skipping or skidding between the marking wheel and workpiece.

Another object of my invention is to provide a structural steel marking machine wherein the adjustment required to change from marking one size or shape to another may be accomplished quickly, certainly and easily.

Another object of my invention is to provide a machine which may be easily moved out of the path of the hot rolled steel coming from the forming mill to allow the passage of shapes or bars which are not to be marked.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will appear more fully from the following description of a preferred form thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevation of my marking machine, positioned to mark the vertical surface of shapes passing there through.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1, showing also in part the feeding tables which guide the hot rolled steel to and from the marking machine.

FIGURE 3 is an elevation similar to FIG. 1 showing part of the apparatus and showing my machine is position to mark upwardly facing horizontal surfaces.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of a part of the marking machine, taken along line 44 of FIG. 2, showing the marking wheel of the machine and means for movably supporting and operating the same.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in elevation like FIG. 1, showing an I beam shape in section coming through my marking machine between the back-up wheel and the marking Wheel.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing an angled shape presenting a surface to be marked in an inclined plane.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a channel presenting a horizontally disposed, upwardly facing surface to be marked.

As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 3, the hot rolled shapes to be marked will be coming from a mill, not shown, behind the marking mechanism A in a path normal to the plane of the figures and passing over the centrally disposed supporting rolls 2t which lie in the lower part of the machine near the transversely, right and left as viewed, movable carriage Iii. As viewed in FIGURE 2 the shapes to be marked, i.e. workpieces, will follow the arrow a, from top to bottom as viewed, passing through the marking mechanism from rear to front and over the rollers 20. As viewed in FIGS. 1 and 5, the marking wheel 33 in this preferred form of my invention is supported, and rotatable, on a vertical axis xx to mark a vertical surface of a hot workpiece passing through the machine. The wheel is carried in and by a great tippable, angled frame structure 35 pivotably. supported on a fore and aft axis 36 which lies parallel to the movement of the work and below the rollers 2% by virtue of which the axis of the wheel 33 may be swung by infinite steps from the vertical, FIGS. 1 and 5, to the horizontal, FIGS. 3 and 7, through inclined positions as in FIG. 6. As will be described more fully below with reference to the fluid motors M and N in FIG. 4, the axis of the wheel 33 is bodily movable toward and away from the path of the shapes to be marked and the wheel may be rotatably driven about its own xx by a motor 44 carried by the great frame 35.

Referring again to FIGS. 1 and 2, the whole marking mechanism A and also the by-pass channel B are mounted side by side on a common supporting carriage 10. The carriage Iii slidably rides right and left as viewed on Ways 2 of base 13 and is held thereto by guides 11. Base 13 is supported above the mill floor at a proper height with respect to the hot mill by any appropriate means or foundation not shown.

Carriage 14B is moved back and forth along ways 12 by Wheel 16 at the far left, as viewed, end of the base 13 through bevel gearing and a long screw 17, which is held from axial motion and has threaded engagement in a tapped hole or nut in the bottom of the carriage. As seen in FIGURE 2, a protective collapsible bellows 18 covers screw 17 to keep the threads free from dirt.

The rollers 20 support the hot steel moving through the marking machine A, and are journaled in bearing supports 21 carried on carriage 10, see also FIG. 3. When preparing to mark shapes the carriage 10 is adjusted laterally by turning hand-wheel 16 until rollers 20 are lined up with the path of the steel to come from the forming mill and lined up with the feeding table 22 and delivery table 23, FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 6, a back-up Wheel 25 is provided to support the workpiece from moving laterally away from the marking wheel 33 while the workpieces are being marked. Wheel 25 is mounted on the right end of shaft 26, which is slidably carried in supports 27. Handwheel 23 turns a screw threaded support 29 and is connected to shaft as to make fine adjustments in the position of back-up wheel 25, right and left as viewed. To permit the back-up wheel to be moved completely away from the rollers it? when it is not in use, abase 39, holding supports 27 and 29 slides in'a guide way 31. When the back-up wheel 25 is in use the base 3i) is moved inward and toward rollers on guide way 31 of carriage It as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. When the back-up wheel is not in use, bolts 32 are removed or loosened and the base 31) carrying the back-up wheel 25 is moved out to the idle position shown in FIGURE 3.

The great angled frame 35 carries the marking wheel 33, and is rotatably mounted on axis 36 journaled in carriage 10. In FIGURE 1, frame 35 holds marking wheel 33 in position to mark vertically disposed surfaces, while in FIGURE 3, frame 35, is shown pivoted about axis 36 to hold the marking wheel 33 in position to mark horizontally disposed, upwardly facing surfaces. Mounted on frame 35 is a housing 33, in which a beam 37, best seen in FIGURE 4, is slidably carried. At the end, remote from wheel 33, beam 37 is attached to the piston rod 39 by means of a pitman 46?. Beam 37 supports at its end near the marking wheel a frame 41 with transverse guide ways 42, in which rides a carriage 43 having sliding motion parallel to the axis xx of the wheel 33. As shown in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, carriage 43 carries an electric motor 44 and a bearing housing 45. Electric motor 44 drives the marking wheel 33 through shaft 4'7 supported in bearing housing 45 and through clutch 46. Marking wheel 33 is removably secured to shaft 47 by bolt 34 so that it can be changed for another quickly and easily, see FIG. 4. Hand-wheel 48, FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, mounted on carriage 43, turns a screw in a tapped hole in frame 41, thereby adjusting the position of carriage 43 along the guide ways 42 in the direction of the axis xx.

Marking wheel 33 will carry on its periphery suitable indicia 51, FIGS. 4 to 7 inclusive, according to the mark that is sought to be imposed upon the workpiece. The

indicia may be removable and changeable where that is expedient or desirable. Similarly, a whole plurality of different marking wheels carrying different indicia may be provided so that wheels may be interchanged as a means of changing the marks to be impressed upon different workpieces or different shapes or different runs as may be appropriate and accurate.

Electric motor 44 has an adjustable speed drive and speed control by which to vary the peripheral speed of the marking wheel to coincide as closely as may be desired with the speed the hot workpiece coming from the forming mill. This velocity can range anywhere between about 300 to 2400 feet per minute; the usual speed being between about 1200 to 1400 feet per minute. it desired, clutch 46 may be disengaged and the marking wheel allowed to be driven solely frictional, or by biting engagement, with the moving workpiece. Unless the hot workpieces are moving slowly, the marking wheel may tear the surface of the hot steel and leave an illegible mark and/ or damage the raised marking characters 51. We therefore prefer to drive the marking wheel at a peripheral speed which is close to the speed of the workpiece passing the axis of the wheel. Then, any slight difference between the velocity of the workpieces and the peripheral velocity of the marking wheel can be taken up by the driving or retarding effect of the workpiece on the marking wheel, without damage to either the work or the wheel.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the great frame 35 and its supported constituent parts are rotated about the pivotal axis 36 by turning handwheel 5d. Hand-wheel 56 is mounted in a pivoted bearing 57 carried on the upper, and left as viewed, part of the support 55. Connected to hand-wheel 56 and rotatable therewith is a long screw 58, threadably engaging a tapped block 6%. Tapped lock 66 is fixedly mounted on the open end of a long tubular housing 59, which is long enough to receive much of the length of the long screw 58 when the frame 35 is swung through its whole intended arcuate travel, FIGURE 3. The turning force from the hand-wheel 56, screw 58 and block 60 is transmitted from the housing 53 to the frame 35 by a box-stud 61 fixedly attached to the housing 59 near the top of the frame and having a swivel connection with the upper part of the frame on an axis parallel to the axis 36. When hand-wheel 56 is turned, it causes the screw 53 to be screwed further into tapped block on, thus pulling the block of} and housing 59 toward the support 55 and rotating the great frame 35 in a counterclockwise direction as seen in FIGS. 1 and 3. As the frame 35 rotates, screw 58 and housing 5? will be rotated about the axis of the pivoted bearing housing 57. This rotation will be upwards to a point shown by the dotted line position of the rotating parts in FIGURE 1. When the great frame 35 has rotated 9O from its position in FIGURE 1, the housing 59 will have largely received screw 58 and returned downwardly from the dotted position to its horizontal position of FIGURE 3.

In FIGURE 3, the marking wheel is in position to mark surfaces of hot shapes presented in a horizontal plane facing upwardly. In addition to this position, and the position shown in FIGURE 1 for marking vertically disposed surfaces, the great frame 35 may be positioned at any angle for marking surfaces disposed at any angle between the vertical and horizontal FIGURES 5, 6 and 7.

As viewed in FIGURE 1, the great frame 35 is kept from rotating past its position for marking vertical surfaces, FIGURE l, by steps 49 on the side extension 59 of frame 35 engaging the supporting carriage It).

In FIGURE 4, I show in detail the means for actuating and pressing the marking wheel against the surfaces to be marked, as well as the means for counter-balancing the marking wheel and its electric driving motor. Sliding beam 37 has a rectangular cross section and rides back and forth with true rectilinear motion in housing 38 on angles 65, secured interiorly to each of the four inside corners of housing 38. A pitman 4d connects sliding beam 37 to piston rod 39. Mounted on piston rod 39 are a large piston 66 and a small piston 67 disposed in cylinders 68 and 69, respectively. The respective piston and cylinder combinations comprise the fluid motors M and N, respectively. An outer casing '74 surrounds motor M.

Air or gas under pressure is forced into chamber 72 through pipe 71 and maintained at a pressure sufficient to counter-balance the vertical component of the weight of beam 37, frame 41, carriage 43, motor 44, and marking wheel 33 increasingly as the frame 35 is moved from the position of FIGURE 1 to the position of FIGURE 3. When the wheel 33 is in position to mark horizontal surfaces, as shown in FIGURE 3, the entire weight of beam 37 and its supported parts will be appropriately counterbalanced. As the great frame 35 is rotated clockwise back to its position in FIGURE 1, the pressure in chamber 72 will be decreased in proportion to the decreased vertical component, i.e. downward pull, of this weight on piston 66. I prefer that this be done by the operator manually adjusting pressure regulator 64, shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 4. When the frame 35 reaches the position shown in FIGURE 1, no counter-balancing pressure in chamber '72 will be sought or needed. At all times E? the pressure in chamber 73 communicates freely with the atmosphere through pipe 74 and filter cannister 75.

The fluid pressure in chamber 72 counter-balances the vertical component of the weight of movable beam 37 and its supported parts in any position of frame 35, and maintains beam 37 in a nearly stable state of equilibrium. Thus additional force required to move the beam 37 and marking wheel 33 toward or away from the hot steel shape to be marked is relatively small. When a hot steel shape is to be marked, the motor N is caused to produce the relatively small force needed to thrust the wheel into marking engagement with the work. Air introduced through pipe 76 increases the pressure in chamber 77, causing small piston 67 to move to the left, as viewed in FIGURE 4. Piston 67 pushes on piston rod 78, coupling 79, piston rod 39, and pitman 40 to move beam 3'7 and its supported marking wheel 33 forward leftward in FIGURES l, 4 and 5, until the marking wheel presses against the hot steel shape to be marked with force sufficient to effect the desired impression in the hot steel. The pressure of the marking wheel against the steel sur face need not be extraordinarily great since the hot shape is relatively soft, having had little chance to cool after leaving the hot forming mill. When it is desired to withdraw the marking wheel, a decrease in pressure in chamber 77 and an increase in pressure in the chamber 81 on the other side of piston 67 will cause the movable beam 37 to move back to its original position, suspended, when necessary, by the pneumatic counter-balance of chamber 72 and motor M.

The pistons 66 and 67 are prevented from banging against the ends of their respective cylinders by the doubleend cushioning design of the cylinders. That is, piston 66, for example, traveling toward the right end of cylinder 68, as viewed in FIG. 4, will not hang into the right end plate due to the air cushion which is built up after the edge of the piston passes the end of pipe 74.

Pipe 82 which feeds into chamber 81 on one side of the small piston 67, and pipe 76, which feeds into chamber 77 on the other side, have pressure regulating valves, 83 and 84 respectively, shown diagrammatically in FIGURE 4. These regulating valves are connected electrically in a known manner to an infrared detector 85 on the right rear side of the frame 35 as shown in FIGURE 2. Appropriate electric time delayand switching devices 91, shown diagrammatically in FIGURES 2 and 4, transmit signals from the detector 85 to the valves 83 and 84. When the infrared detector 85 senses a hot steel shape approaching the marking machine, the regulating valves are activated after a desired time delay, and the marking wheel moves forward to impress its mark on the hot moving shape, which by that time is in position to be marked. The time delay and switch means 91 may be adjusted to cause the marking wheel to remain in rotary contact with the hot steel beam making repetitive marks as long as desired before retracting, and this time delay and switching means will activate and retract the marking wheel as many times as desirable after the infrared detector initially senses and/ or continues to sense the presence of a hot steel shape in the presence of the marking machine. Since my system for moving the wheel responds quickly to a change in pressure at the regulating valves, each continuous length of rolled shape coming out of the mill may be marked very close to its leading end, soon after the infrared detector senses the approach of the hot steel. Marking near the end allows the shape to be more easily identified once it becomes part of a large stock pile.

In the operation of my marking machine, hot steel shapes coming from the forming mill per arrow a, FIGURE 2, move toward the machine, along their longitudinal axes on feeding table 22. If the shapes are not to be marked, carriage is moved along tracks 12 by turning hand-wheel 16 until by-pass B bridges between tables 22 and 23. Table 86 of by-pass B is at the same level as tables 22 and 23 topermit the hot steel shapes to pass freely through to their next handling station.

If it be desired to mark the rolled shapes, carriage 10 is moved to the position shown in FIGURE 2, with the rollers 20 at the same level as the tables 22 and 23 to permit a smooth rolling passage of the hot workpieces through the marking machine. Then frame 35 carrying the marking wheel and its positioning controls may be set in position by hand-wheel 56 for marking surfaces at the angle presented by the oncoming workpiece shapes.

As the frame 35 is rotated from its position of FIG. 1, the regulating valve 64, FIG. 4, is adjusted to maintain a proper counter-balance on and retraction of movable beam 37 and the supported marking wheel, motor and other associated parts. When the frame 35 is in its proper position to mark the desired surface of the hot steel shape hand-wheel 48 may be turned to position the marking wheel along its axes xx for marking the workpiece at the particular desired distance from the longitudinal edge of the surface to be marked.

When the surface to be marked is a horizontal upwardly facing surface, FIG. 7, then the back-up wheel 25 is moved back to its non-use position as shown in FIGURE 3. In marking all other surfaces, the back-up wheel 25 is pref erably used and is put in its proper in-use position, FIGURES 5 and 6.

The back-up wheel 25 is moved into position FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, by moving base 39 toward or relative to the rollers 20, securing the base 30 to guide way 31 and carriage it by means of bolts 32, and then turning hand-wheel 28 for fine adjustment. Hand-wheel 28 should be turned until the back-up wheel 25 has rolling contact with the work piece and allows enough room for passage of the piece plus the desired stroke of the marking wheel 33 from retracted to marking position, preferably about four inches.

When the hot workpiece approaches the bite of my machine, the infrared detector senses the heat thereof and sends a signal to the regulating valves 83 and 84, after any predetermined time delay. These regulating valves cause a pressure differential between chambers 77 and $1 in motor N which causes piston 67 to push the marking wheel 33 into contact with the hot surface to be marked. Preferably electric motor 44 is continually rotating the marking wheel at a peripheral speed which is close to that of the beam to be marked, and therefore, the marking wheel rolls without slippage upon the soft surface of the hot metal. After the marking wheel has rolled over the beam preferably for at least one revolution, a timing device is preferably set to cause the regulating valves 83 and 84 to reverse the pressure differential in chambers 81 and 77, which in turn cause piston 67 to move back rightwardly as viewed in FIG. 4, withdrawing the marking wheel away from the surface of the Work. The timer may be set to cause the regulating valves and marking wheel to repeat the marking cycle automatically at specific time intervals, as long as there is a shape-tobe-marked passing through the marking machine; or, the timer may be set so that the marking wheel marks each workpiece only once.

While the electrical time delay and switching devices and infrared detectors employed are known to those skilled in the art, my machine combines this electrical equipment with a rapidly responding mechanical actuating means in such a manner that the entire electromechanical system is able to move the marking wheel into contact with the beam surface to be marked with an extremely short time delay. This enables the'machine to mark the beams accurately, and as frequently as desired.

Since the steel shapes are hot when they pass through the marking machine, it is desirable to provide some means for cooling the back-up wheel 25 and the marking wheel 33. Water nozzles may be placed next to these parts for this purpose. The water may be sprayed abundantly over the marking and back-up wheels without interfering with the operation of the machine.

My machine can impress permanent marks in the steel shapes automatically, and is capable of marking shapes while they are traveling at high speeds. Due to the rapid response of the marking wheel to and from operative position, it is able to mark any desired places along the length of a workpiece including places near the leading end thereof. My machine can handle most any shape, and can impress a mark along any longitudinal line along any exposed exterior surface of the shape. My marking wheel is easily accessible for quick changing, and different sized marking wheels may be installed to accommodate the various sizes and contours of shapes to be marked. Furthermore, the pneumatic actuating and balancing means with the small motor N requires only a small volume of air at a relatively low pressure to move the marking wheel and its heavy carriage quickly to and from contact with the workpiece.

While I have illustrated and described a preferred form of my invention, and explained the best manner in which it is to be put to use according to my present understanding, changes and improvements will be made by those skilled in the art who come to understand and enjoy my invention and the teaching of this specification, without departing from the spirit and substance thereof. Therefore, it do not want to be limited in the scope and effect of my patent to the form of my invention herein specifically illustrated and described nor in any manner inconsistent With the progress by which the art has been promoted by my invention.

1 claim:

1. A marking machine for impressing marks into a longitudinal surface of a steel shape moving along its longitudinal axis, said marking machine having a first carriage and comprising, a marking wheel rotatable about an axis and having a peripheral edge surface and raised characters mounted on said surface, marking wheel actuating means for rapidly moving said peripheral edge surface of the marking wheel to and from contact with said surface to be marked, means on said first carriage for supporting said shape and restraining said shape from downward motion while being marked, means to restrain sa-id shape from lateral motion while being marked, means for supporting and holding said peripheral edge surface of the marking wheel parallel to the surface of said shape where it is to contact and mark said surface, said last named means comprising a frame, a slidable beam supported on said frame and slidable substantially toward or away from the surface of said shape to be marked and operably connected to said marking wheel actuating means at one end, a slidable second carriage mounted on the other end of said slidable beam and carrying the said marking wheel and being slidable in a direction parallel to the surface of said shape to be marked, and means to slide said second carriage in said direction and to hold said second carriage stationary relative to said movable beam while 'the said steel shape is being marked.

2. The machine described in claim 1 in which said frame is rotatable about an axis which is fixed to said first carriage and parallel to the said longitudinal axis of the shape to be marked, and said machine comprises means mounted on said base and connected to said frame to rotate the frame and to hold the frame stationary while the surface of said shape is being marked.

3. The machine described in claim 2 wherein said marking wheel actuating means comprises a pneumatic counterbalance to restrain said movable beam from moving downward when it is tilted out of a horizontal plane by the rotation of said frame, and another pneumatic means for pushing said marking wheel into contact with the surface of said shape to be marked and retracting the same.

4. A marking machine 'for impressing marks into a longitudinal surface of a steel shape moving along its longitudinal axis, said marking machine comprising, a marking wheel, a frame rotatable about an axis parallel to the said longitudinal axis of the shape to be marked, a slidable beam s'lidably supported on said frame and slidable substantially toward or away from the surface of said shape to be marked and having a tendency to slide downward and toward the surface of said shape when it is tilted out of the horizontal plane by the rotation of said frame, said marking wheel mounted on one end of said slidab'le beam for marking said longitudinal surface of said steel shape, a piston rod connected to the other end of said slidable beam, at large piston and a small piston mounted on said piston rod, a large air cylinder and a small air cylinder for housing said large and small pistons respectively, an air pressure differential between the opposite sides of the large piston in said large cylinder sufiieien-t to counterbalance the said tendency of the movable beam to slide downward, and an air pressure differential between opposite sides of the small piston in said small cylinder which may be varied either for the purpose of pushing said mar'kin g wheel into Contact with the surface of said shape or for the purpose of retracting the same.

5. The marking machine of claim 4 wherein there are air regulating valves connected to both ends of said small air cylinder, heat sensing means electrically connected to said valves for sensing the approach of said steel beams 'tobe marked and sending a signal to said valves to change said pressure dilierential in said small cylinder, and thereby move said marking whee-l into-contact with said beam surface to be marked, and electrical time delay means actuated by said heat sensing means and connected to said valves which, after the desired time delay, not on said valves to change said pressure differential in said small cylinder to retract said marking wheel from the surface of said shape,

References Cited in the the of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 536,120 Atwood Mar. 19, 1895 545,059 Davis Aug. 27, 1895 2,497,386 Zarobsky Feb. 14, 19-50 2,619 ,030 Doyle Nov. 25, 1-952 

1. A MARKING MACHINE FOR IMPRESSING MARKS INTO A LONGITUDINAL SURFACE OF A STEEL SHAPE MOVING ALONG ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS, SAID MARKING MACHINE HAVING A FIRST CARRIAGE AND COMPRISING, A MARKING WHEEL ROTATABLE ABOUT AN AXIS AND HAVING A PERIPHERAL EDGE SURFACE AND RAISED CHARACTERS MOUNTED ON SAID SURFACE, MARKING WHEEL ACTUATING MEANS FOR RAPIDLY MOVING SAID PERIPHERAL EDGE SURFACE OF THE MARKING WHEEL TO AND FROM CONTACT WITH SAID SURFACE TO BE MARKED, MEANS ON SAID FIRST CARRIAGE FOR SUPPORTING SAID SHAPE AND RESTRAINING SAID SHAPE FROM DOWNWARD MOTION WHILE BEING MARKED, MEANS TO RESTRAIN SAID SHAPE FROM LATERAL MOTION WHILE BEING MARKED, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AND HOLDING SAID PERIPHERAL EDGE SURFACE OF THE MARKING WHEEL PARALLEL TO THE SURFACE OF SAID SHAPE WHERE IT IS TO CONTACT AND MARK SAID SURFACE, SAID LAST NAMED MEANS COMPRISING A FRAME, A SLIDABLE BEAM SUP- 